At first glance, this work could seem closer to a challenging scholarly examination rather than the latest popular music album by an artist who just had a previous hit featured an international pop icon. Broken into 4 different sections and sung in thirteen languages, this is a dizzying orchestral-influenced album investigating feminine mystery, religious ascent, and physical transformation, often through the lens of different women saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—soars upwards here, carried by the constant presence of a major orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a vast list of contributors. The pure audacity by itself renders the work of other artists appear rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux succeeds in escape dry academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, with sole praise going to Rosalía. Although it's not her first album to blend historical sounds and the present, the scale feel much greater here, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. What really elevates this fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of joy. Much like the iconic artist during her peak, you find a captivating quality to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts in two, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her for the journey.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant energy shines clearly during the stunning Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, and we hear a spontaneous laugh and a comment before a comically over-the-top string surge thuds in with comedic impact. The song then segues to the wild single featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The charm of Lux is that you rarely exactly understand—nor want to know—where you is going to next."
Nearly each track ends at a totally distinct place from how it began. One moment examines the transient nature of fame over a featherlight symphony before disintegrating in electronic cacophony. Another, a song that recalls her previous rhythmic style begins off dark and brooding, with menacing beats, before fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Art & Pop
A key achievement of the album is navigating the gap of radical innovation and broad accessibility. It is no surprise that it has become the artist's first work to break into the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a suite of truly undeniable pop songs. A song sung entirely in the English language builds on a chorus that feels to gather increasingly nagging hooks as it spirals upward. This feat is echoed by another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number charms with its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing have a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand scale, an ambitious grasp for high artistry in an era of impending AI-generated sameness. It eschews solipsism in favor of sublime elevation, creating a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. It is a deep source of hidden treasure that requires patience to fully mine but doesn't seem like hard work. While some major pop albums of 2025 felt like a meager scraps, this record offers a sumptuous feast at which the characters around it, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flutter between conversations about historical figures, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly creative visionary.
